1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sealable bags. In a specific aspect, it relates to means for more easily evacuating undesirable excess air from a resealable bag.
2. Description of Related Art
Sealable bags are well-known in the art. For instance, Zip-Lock® and Glad-Lock® resealable bags are commonly used for storage of food and other household items. Such resealable bags generally have an opening running substantially the length of one end of the bag and have opposing interlocking strips that run the length of the opening for sealing the bag. When sealed, theses bags are substantially airtight, although air may ingress or egress over the passage of time. Other types of sealable bags exist as well, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,471, issued to Tsuyuguchi, U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,879, issued to Desmarais, U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,553, issued to Hulett, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,810, issued to Chen.
A common problem encountered during the use of many such sealable bags is that excess air becomes trapped within the bag when it is sealed. Trapped excess air has the potential to adversely affect the quality of any food stored within the bag. And, trapped excess air causes the bag—filled or otherwise empty—to occupy a greater volume than necessary. Thus, for instance, a resealable bag with food stuff stored within may not fit in a particular storage area, such as a refrigerator drawer, with the additional volume supplied by the accompanying trapped excess air; whereas, if the trapped excess air was substantially removed, the storage area could accommodate the volume supplied by the food stuff and bag alone.
Others have recognized this and similar problems related to trapped air and suggested remedies. U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,752, issued to Cox, discloses a resealable bag wherein the opening of the bag is divided into two sections, a main section for loading and unloading the bag with interlocking strips for sealing the main section, and a small section into which is affixed a hollow tube for evacuating the excess air from the bag after the main section is sealed and within which are installed interlocking strips for sealing the small section after the hollow tube has been used to evacuate trapped excess air. U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,264, issued to Miniea, discloses a resealable bag wherein the opening of the bag is divided into two sections, a main section for loading and unloading the bag with interlocking strips for sealing the main section, and a small section into which may be placed, or slidingly affixed, a hollow tube for evacuating the excess air from the bag after the main section is sealed, or into which may be placed a solid strip for holding the small section open such that excess air may be evacuated from the bag after the main section is sealed, and within which are installed interlocking strips for sealing the small section after the hollow tube or solid strip has been used to evacuate trapped excess air. U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,906, issued to Lambert, discloses a resealable bag wherein the opening of the bag is divided into two sections, a main section for loading and unloading the bag with interlocking strips for sealing the main section, and a small section, the width of which defines the width of a hollow tube that protrudes therefrom for evacuating the excess air from the bag after the main section is sealed, within which are installed interlocking strips for sealing the small section after the hollow tube has been used to evacuate trapped excess air.
Each of these suggested remedies suffer, however, from several problems of their own. Each requires that the opening of the resealable bag be partitioned into two sections, a main section and a small section. And, each suggests that a hollow tube, a relatively complex article of manufacture as compared to a solid strip, be inserted into the small section to facilitate the evacuation of excess air. Only Miniea suggests that a solid strip could also be interested into the small section to facilitate the evacuation of excess air; but, Miniea still requires the partitioning of the opening into two sections. All of these suggested remedies are relatively complex and would seem to add significant additional expense to the manufacture of such resealable bags.
Other suggested remedies found in the prior art are even more complex. U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,236 B1, issued to Tilman, discloses the use of two separate sets of interlocking strips spanning the entire length of the bag opening and the use of a venting structure combined therewith. And, U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,182, issued to Light, U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,114, issued to Underwood, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,112, issued to Newburger, all disclose elaborate evacuation structures that are separate and distinct from the interlocking strips used to seal the main opening of the bag.
A need exists for an elegant, and cost-effective, solution to the aforementioned problems.